Bearing for demountable spools



Patented Aug. 21, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,681,894 PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER BIXBY, CF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SHAWMUT ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BEARING FOR DEMOUNTABLE SPOOLS.

Application filed October 5, 1923.

' This invention relates to yarn spools, particularly such as are used in tuft tube frames employed in the weaving of tufted fabrics,

. such as Axminster carpets and the like, and

' ing brackets forming bearing support for the journals, one of which bearing brackets is mounted to be bodily movable on its support in a direction lengthwise of the spool to a position out of engagement with its support ed journal, thereby allowing the spool to be removed from its support. These and other features characterizing the present invention will be described in detail in the following specification and will be defined in the claims hereto annexed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one of the preferred forms embodying the principles of the construction and arrangement constituting the present invention, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a tube frame equipped with my improvement.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the shiftable intermediate bearing member.

Figure 3 is a vertical central section through my improved bearing member.

Figure 4 is a plan View of shiftable bearing member with the yarn-spools removed.

This invention is particularly intended for use on tube frames of considerable length in which several spools or spool sections of shorter length are placed end to end and rotatably supported in the end brackets and in intermediate brackets secured to the carrier bar of the tube frame. In the form shown, the end brackets are of usual or suitable con struction, while my improvement is directly concerned with the intermediate bracket which forms a common bearing support for the adjacent interlocking journals of two adjacent sections of the spool.

According to the illustrating of the drawings. the tube frame comprises a usual carrier bar 1, for supporting the tuft-guiding tubes 12, which carrier bar has secured to its Serial No. 86$,839.

ends suitable suspension hangers by which the tube frame is suspended from an overhead carrier chain in well known fashion. In this case one of the suspension arms of the hanger is shown at 2, in Figure 1, and united therewith is the spool-supporting bracket or ear 3, perforated at its upper end to receive the small journal 10, of the yarnspool 10, according to usual practice.

In this type of sectional spool tube frame the intermediate bearing ournals are usually made of larger diameter, as shown at 9 in Fig ure 3, with their adjacent faces provided, re spectively, with a tongue and groove or inter locking connection to secure uniform rotation of all sections of the spool.

My improved bearing bracket for supporting the intermediate journals of the sectional spool comprises a T shaped member consisting, in this case, of two angles 4, of pressed steel or the like with their vertical arms 5, brought face to face and secured together in any suitable manner, as by means of rivets 5 The horizontal or foot members of these angles 4, are longitudinally slotted to receive retaining screws which are tapped into the top face of the carrier bar 1, so as to permit a slight endwise sliding movement of the bearing bracket. The vertical arm of this bearing bracket is transversely bored to form a bearing aperture, as shown at 5, to receive the intermatching gudgeons or journals of the two adjacent spools.

The vertical member of the shiftable hearing bracket is provided near its lower end with an interior vertical bore or recess for the reception of a small helical spring 5, which is seated therein, and which exerts normally a downward pressure upon a locking ball or member 7, to press it into a recess or depression 1, formed in the top surface of the carrier bar 1, when the bearing bracket is moved to operative journal-supporting po sition, indicated in full lines in Figure 1. In this position bot-h journal members 8 and 9, of the adjacent spool sections 10, have suitable bearing support in the bearing 5, formed in the bracket to permit rotation of the spool sections as the yarn is drawn therefrom in the normal weaving operation. The springpresse'd ball or locking detent 7, forms a yielding means for locking the bracket in normal operative position, while allowing it, under the influence of substantial endwise pressure exerted toward the left, to permit the bearing bracket to slide endwise so as touncover or become disengaged from the journal 9, of the right-hand spool section, according to Figures 1 and 3. In this position there is no obstacle to lifting the latter spool j ournal away from the tube frame thus )ermitting the withdrawal of the journal 10, from itsbearing bracket 3.

The shiftable bearing bracket is so mounted between the adjacent spoolheads and the carrier bar that it is inno danger of being struck andfaccideiitally moved, out of, operative position in the normal operation of weaving, while at the same time the bracket is readily accessible to the attendant for instant and convenient shifting to, permit removal or insertion of the yarn-spool.

The advantages derivcd fro n this construction are first that it pejrmits theiuse througlr out the intermediate and end brackets of completely closed bearing apertures in conjunctionwith rigidly secured or fined gudgeons or hearing journals since, whether there are two or three spools in the tube frame, they may all be readily removed without opening any of the bearin 's or without providing a disappearing journal for any of them. This will be clear if'we consider an assemblage, let us say,

of three alignedspools with two intermediate bearings the right-hand one of which, according to the showing inthe drawing, would be a slidable bearing bracket, in accordance with the above description. To remove the end spool the sliding bracket. is pressed to the left to uncover theinserted journal oftthe end spool10, which can then be easily removedi the bracket meanwhile acting tosupport the: adjacent spool and. preventing it from falling outof the tube frame. The op erator then, grasping the intermediate spool,

moves'it toward the right, pressingthe sliding bracket. to the positions shown in figures 1 and-3, the play or endwise clearings being sufficient to allow withdrawal of the opposite endof the intermediate spool fromits fixed bearing bracket. As soon as the intermediate spool is with, rawn it leaves room forthe endwise movement of the opposite end spool away from the end bracket to permit its withdrawal. i

I It will also be observed that the movable bearing bracket exerts n01 end pressure against either spool, it being absolutely neutral in this respect, and it will also be noticed that the bearing bracket tends to remain in which ever position it is shifted to, whether active position or position for removal of the spool. It requires no special manipulation because it locks itself in normal operative position yet can be released and shifted therefrom and back thereto merely by the operator seizing the spool to be removed. and pressing it in an'axial direction against the bracket.

What I claim is:

1. In a tube-frame, the combination with a longitudinal carrier-bar, bearing brackets secured to the opposite ends thereof, an intermediate bearing bracket arranged to form a common bearing support for the abutting journals of aligned yarn-spools, said bracket having slidablo connection with the carrierbar longitudinally thereof to permit its disengagement from one spool-journal to allow its removal, while continuing to support the adjacent spool-journal thereafter pe 'mitting the removal of, the adjacent spool.- when returned to normal position, substantially as described.

2. In a tube-frame thecombination witlr a carrier bar, of a spoolbearing bracket aiiordg ing bearing support for the abutting journals f adjacent yarn spools,said bracket comprising an upright bearing member and an angular foot having screwandslot connectionto retain it slidably on the carrier-bar, and a spring-actuated detent arranged to afford a yieldingly releasable connectionbetween the bracket and the carrier-bar to retain the bracket normally in position to contain both journals while allowing it to be shiftedto uncover one of them.

3. In a tube frame, the combination with a carrier-bar, of a rotatable yarn-spoolhaw ing supporting end journals, bearing brackets for said journals, one of said bearing brackets being slidably mounted on its support to be moved axially of the spool away from journal-supporting position, and a spring actuated detent for releasably retainingthe slidable bracket in operative journal-supporting position, substantially as described.

a. in a tube, frame, the combination with a carrier-bar, of a rotatable yarnspoolhaving supporting end journals, bearing brackets for said journals, one of which is mounted to slide axially of the spool to release its contained bearing, and self-acting locking means. for releasably locking the slidable bracket to the carrier-bar whenth'c bracket is moved to its operative journal'supporting position, substantially as described. I

5. in a tube frame, the combination of a carrier-bar, spool-supporting bearing brackets mounted at the end and intermediate portions of the tube frame to support a plurality of spools in end to end relationship, the interniediate bearing members serving to support intermatched journals of adjacent spools, and being slidable from one spool toward the other to uncover the ournal of the spool from which'it is moved, and spring actuated means movable transversely of the carrier-bar for releasably holding said bracket against'accidental movement to. uncovering position, substantially as described.

6. in a tube frame the combination with a carrier bar provided at its ends and intermediately with spool supporting bearing brackets, the intermediate bracket bein releasably locked'to the carrier bar in noi mal bearing position to support the adjacent end journals of two adjacent spools and being bodily shiftable along one of said adjacent end journals to uncover the other adjacent journal to allow convenient removal of both spools one after the other.

7. In a tube frame the combination of a carrier bar, spool supporting brackets mounted at the end and intermediate portions of said carrier bar, the intermediate bracket being provided with a bearing normally overlapping the adjacent end journals of two spools placed end to end and being slidably mounted on the carrier bar and dimensioned to permit axial movement uncovering one of said journals While both journals are in normal bearing position, and means for releasably retaining the intermediate bracket in overlapped relation to both its contained journals, substantially as described.

8. In a multiple spool tube frame, the combination with a longitudinal carrier-bar, of a plurality of. axially aligned spools having journals rigidly fixed to their ends, the journals at adjacent ends of the spool abutting each other, intermediate and end brackets having closed bearing apertures to receive corresponding journals, the intermediate bearing bracket being movably connected With the carrier-bar and being dimensioned to move between its two adjacent spools to uncover one of said journals thereby permitting the spools to be removed one after the other, and means for releasably retaining said bracket in normal bearing relation to both abutting journals.

In Witness whereof, I have subscribed the above specification.

WVALTER BIXBY. 

